Visit to Poland

Governor General to Undertake Visits to Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium

OTTAWA—At the request of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will conduct visitsto Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium, from October 22 to 29, 2014.

All timings indicated are in local time zone (Central European Summer Time until Sunday, October 24, when it will change to Central European Time - UTC/GMT + 6:00).

10:30 p.m.Arrival at the Warsaw Military AirportTheir Excellencies will be greeted by Alexandra Bugailiskis, Ambassador of Canada to Poland.Warsaw Military AirportCLOSED TO MEDIA—Official photographers only

10 a.m.Official Welcoming CeremonyThe Governor General will be officially welcomed by President Bronislaw Komorowski. During the ceremony, the Governor General will review a military guard of honour and be greeted by a receiving line of resident ambassadors. Canadian troops currently training in Poland as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) reassurance measures will be present.Courtyard, Presidential PalaceOPEN TO MEDIA

10:15 a.m.Meeting with the Presidential CoupleTheir Excellencies will meet with President Komorowski and First Lady Anna Komorowska to discuss the robust bilateral relations between Canada and Poland, based on historic, military and people-to-people ties.White Room, Presidential PalacePHOTO OP FOR POOL MEDIA – At the beginning of the meeting

10:30 a.m.Expanded Meeting with the President of the Republic of PolandThe Governor General and Canadian delegates will meet with the President and with representatives of the Polish government to discuss Canada-Poland relations.Blue Room, Presidential PalacePHOTO OP FOR POOL MEDIA – At the beginning of the meeting

10:30 a.m.Meeting Between Her Excellency and the First Lady of Poland and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) RepresentativesHer Excellency Sharon Johnston and First Lady Anna Komorowska will engage in a discussion with representatives of Polish NGOs to discuss important social issues affecting Poland today.Winter Garden Room, Presidential PalacePHOTO OP FOR POOL MEDIA – At the beginning of the meeting

11:20 a.m.Joint Media AvailabilityThe Governor General and the President will deliver statements to media following their meeting.Banner RoomOPEN TO MEDIA

11:45 a.m.Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown SoldierTheir Excellencies will pay tribute to Polish soldiers and commemorate Canada-Poland joint military efforts by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This year marks the

70th anniversary of the battles of Monte Cassino and Normandy, where Canadians and Poles fought side by side. Canadian troops currently training in Poland as part of the NATO reassurance measures will be present.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was erected at Piłsudski Square, the largest square of Warsaw, on top of the underground foundations of the Saxon Palace, which was destroyed in World War II.Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Piłsudski SquareOPEN TO MEDIA

1:30 p.m.Keynote Address to Students of the Warsaw School of EconomicsHis Excellency will deliver a keynote address on the potential for greater collaboration between Canada and Poland in the spheres of education and innovation, and encourage students to consider Canada as a study and research destination.

The Warsaw School of Economics is the oldest university of economics and management in Poland. As it seeks to impart a European dimension to its academic activity, it combines an over century-long tradition with engagement in the contemporary world and the pursuit of future challenges. Over 10 000 students are enrolled at the school in bachelor and master degree programs; 1 400 are studying at the doctoral level and over 5 300 are completing other postgraduate courses. Auditorium Aura IV, 1st Floor, Warsaw School of EconomicsOPEN TO MEDIA

2:30 p.m.Visit to the Museum of the History of Polish JewsAccompanied by First Lady Anna Komorowska, Her Excellency Sharon Johnston will visit the new Museum of the History of Polish Jews to learn about the more than 1 000 years of Jewish history in Poland. They will be guided through the museum by Canadian professor Barbara Kirschenblatt-Gimblett, Program Director of the Core Exhibition.Museum of the History of Polish JewsPHOTO OP – Upon the arrival of Her Excellency, when she signs the museum’s guest book

2:40 p.m.Round-table Discussion—Canada-Poland: Research and Development Collaboration OpportunitiesThe Governor General will deliver the opening remarks at a round-table discussion with rectors and senior officials of the main Warsaw-based universities. Opportunities for increased partnership and collaboration between Canadian and Polish institutions across a broad range of areas such as joint research, joint programming, academic exchange and student mobility will be addressed.Warsaw School of EconomicsCLOSED TO MEDIA

4 p.m.Courtesy Meeting with the Speaker of the Sejm (Lower House of Parliament)His Excellency and Canadian delegates will meet with Radosław Sikorski, Marshal of the Sejm, to discuss the bilateral and people-to-people ties as the foundation of Canada-Poland relations.Room 161, 1st Floor, Chancellery of the SejmPHOTO OP - At the beginning of the meeting

7 p.m.State Dinner given by the President of the Republic of Poland Their Excellencies and Canadian delegates will take part in a dinner hosted by the President and First Lady, in honour of the Governor General’s State visit.Column Hall, 1st Floor, Presidential PalacePHOTO OP FOR POOL MEDIA - Upon arrival of the guestsOPEN TO POOL MEDIA – During the toasts delivered by the Governor General and the President.

9:30 a.m.Meeting with the Speaker of the Senate (Upper House of Parliament)The Governor General and Canadian delegates will meet with Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal of the Senate, to discuss bilateral Canada-Poland relations and people-to-people ties.Room 190, 1st Floor, Chancellery of the Senate, Sejm BuildingPHOTO OP – At the beginning of the meeting

10:30 a.m.Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Two Rocks MemorialàTheir Excellencies will lay a wreath at the Two Rocks Memorial to honour Canadian and Polish soldiers who fought side by side during World War II.

Located in front of the Canadian Embassy, the memorial consists of commemorative plaques on two stones—one from Canada and the other from Poland—standing side by side. The Canadian stone was drawn from the Barry’s Bay/Wilmo area of Ontario, where the first major settlement of Poles in Canada took place in the late 19th century. Canadian and Polish troops fought together at Monte Cassino, Falaise and in the Battle of Britain.Two Rocks Memorial, Canadian EmbassyOPEN TO MEDIA

1 p.m.Polish-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business LuncheonThe Governor General will address key leaders of the business community in Poland on the main trends, challenges and opportunities within the Canada-Poland commercial relationship. He will also highlight the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and its impact on strengthening and diversifying bilateral trade, investment and innovation prospects.Column Hall, Ground Floor, Primate PalaceOPEN TO MEDIA

1 p.m.Event with Polish Orphans Charity at the Fryderyk Chopin MuseumHer Excellency will join First Lady Anna Komorowska to present scholarships to underprivileged Polish youth who have demonstrated exceptional talent in the arts. Following the special presentation, Her Excellence will briefly visit the museum.

The Polish Orphans Charity (POC) was founded in the year 2000 by Dr. Richarda Russ, a prominent Toronto dental surgeon, along with Bart Pasowski and Dr. Ted Kralka, to help improve the facilities and care for children living in Polish orphanages. For more information, visit www.polishorphans.org.

The mission of the Fryderyk Chopin Museum is to cultivate the memory of the great composer and to make information about his life and work available to a wide audience. The purpose of the Museum is to collect and transfer knowledge, and deliver a high-quality artistic experience. For more information, visit www.chopin.museum/en.Fryderyk Chopin MuseumOPEN TO MEDIA

2:45 p.m.Canada-Poland Innovation Panel DiscussionThe Governor General will deliver opening remarks at this gathering of business, government and academic leaders on the subject of innovation co-operation as a key driver to bringing the Canada-Poland bilateral relationship forward.Main Trade Floor, 2nd Floor, Warsaw Stock ExchangeOPEN TO MEDIA

10:30 a.m.Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Kraków Rakowicki CemeteryTheir Excellencies and Canadian delegates will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony to honour fallen soldiers of WWII, including Canadian soldiers and pilots.

At the end of the Second World War, the graves service of the British Army of the Rhine gathered together Commonwealth graves from all over Poland into three cemeteries, the Kraków Rakowicki Cemetery being the largest. Those buried here died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, most of the graves coming from the cemetery at the large camp at Lamsdorf, Stalag VIIIB (after 1943 known as Stalag 344), where there was a hospital of 450 beds used only for Commonwealth prisoners. Other graves brought into the cemetery were those of airmen, including Canadians, who lost their lives during the Warsaw supply drop and the bombing of factories, railways and other strategic objectives. For more information, visit www.cwgc.org.Kraków Rakowicki CemeteryOPEN TO MEDIA

11:10 a.m.Visit to Wawel Royal Castle and CathedralTheir Excellencies and Canadian delegates will visit Wawel Castle, the historic seat of Polish kings whose collection of tapestries and other treasuries was evacuated from Poland in September 1939, and kept in Canada for safekeeping throughout WWII. At the end of their visit, Their Excellencies will lay a wreath of flowers on the tomb of the former President Lech Kaczyński, in Wawel Cathedral.

The Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Hill constitute the most historically and culturally important site in Poland. For centuries the residence of the kings of Poland and the symbol of Polish statehood, the Castle is now one of the country’s premier art museums. For more information, visit www.wawel.krakow.pl/en.

Wawel Cathedral holds a special place in the history of the Polish State due to the fact that it was the church of Polish kings for 400 years. Known as the cathedral of Pope John Paul II, most of his mementoes are on display at the Cathedral Museum, of which he was the initiator and patron. For more information, visit www.katedra-wawelska.pl/english.Wawel Royal Castle and CathedralPHOTO OP – Upon Their Excellencies’ arrival at the castle and at the end of the visit, during the wreath-laying on the tomb of former President Kaczyński.

2:15 p.m.Energy Innovation Round TableThe Governor General will deliver brief opening remarks at this round-table discussion on energy R&D co-operation and related potential opportunities for the AGH, Canadian universities and innovative companies, particularly those in the energy sector, where Canada can play an important role in Poland’s energy security.

AGH University of Science and Technology is a leading Polish university in modern technologies, and belongs to a group of prestigious international educational centres. It conducts teaching, fundamental and applied research and serves as an innovation incubator in such areas as energy, oil and gas, coal and environmental technologies.AGH University of Science and TechnologyOPEN TO MEDIA

2:30 p.m.Visit to Life Farm (Centre for Autistic Young Adults)Her Excellency will visit Life Farm, a centre of accommodation, work, therapy and rehabilitation for adults with autism from Kraków and its surrounding neighbourhoods.

The Life Farm was developed by the Community of Hope Foundation, a non-governmental organization acting on behalf of people with autism since 1998. As part of this long-term project, residents and other adults with autism will be able to engage in vocational training to prepare them for the open job market, as well as participate in trade and handcraft workshops and work on an organic farm. Some of the clients also benefit from professional training and apprenticeships conducted outside the centre. For more information, visit www.farma.org.pl.Life Farm, WięckowiceOPEN TO MEDIA

4 p.m.Discussion with Members of the Polish Association of Canadian Studies Programs in PolandThe Governor General will take part in a discussion with the members of the Polish Association of Canadian Studies’ programs in Poland to exchange views on the challenges and strategic orientations of Canadian and Polish universities, to discuss potential opportunities for increased partnership and collaboration between Canadian and Polish institutions, and to learn about the key areas of interest being pursued in the field of Canadian studies in Poland.Sanacka Room, 1st Floor, Jagiellonian UniversityCLOSED TO MEDIA

8:30Visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and MemorialTheir Excellencies and Canadian delegates will visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and Memorial to pay tribute to the millions of Jews and Poles who perished at the concentration camp during WWII. Their Excellencies will sign the museum’s guest book, lay flowers at the Wall of Death and lay wreaths at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial plaques.

The preserved, authentic Memorial consists of two parts of the former concentration camp: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. All over the world, Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide and the Holocaust. It was established by Germans in 1940, in the suburbs of Oświęcim, a Polish city that was annexed to the Third Reich by the Nazis. Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and MemorialPHOTO OP – During Their Excellencies’ entrance to the grounds, during the wreath-laying at the Wall of Death, the signing of the guest book and during the wreath-laying at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial plaques.

Members of the public can follow the Governor General’s visits to Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium online at www.gg.ca, where speeches, photos and videos will be posted.

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This itinerary is subject to change without notice.To obtain the latest updates, please visitwww.gg.ca.